APPENDIX

would have her discharged of her vow, so that she should be mighty to bear her
ghostly labours, for without bodily strength, they might not be endured.

Then her confessor, seeing by the eye of discretion it was expedient to do so
commanded her by virtue of obedience to eat as other creatures did, measurably
where God would that she had her food.

And her grace was not decreased, but rather increased, for she would rather
have fasted than have eaten, if it had been the will of God.

Furthermore, Our Lady said to her: —

'Daughter, thou art weak enough from weeping and crying, for both make
thec weak and feeble enough. And I can thank thee more for eating thy meat for
my love, than for fasting, that thou mayest endure thy perfection of weeping/

CHAPTER 77

W HBN the said creature had first her wonderful cries and, on a time, was in
ghostly dalliance with her Sovereign Lord Christ Jesus, she said: —

*Lord» why wilt Thou give me such crying that people wonder at me therefor?
And they say that I am in great peril, for, as they say, I am the cause that many
men sin over me; and Thou knowest, Lord, that I would give no man cause or
occasion for sin if I could help it, for I had rather, Lord, be in a prison ten
fathoms deep, there to cry and weep for my sin, and for all men's sins, and specially 8 8b
for Thy love, all my life time, than I should give the people occasion to sin over
me wilfully,

'Lord, the world may not suffer me to do Thy will, or to follow after Thy
stirring, and therefore I pray Thee, if it be Thy wiU, take these cryings from me at
the time of sermons, so that I cry not at Thine holy preaching, and let me
have them by myself alone, so that I be not put from hearing Thy holy preaching
and Thy holy words; for greater pain may I not suffer in this world than being

put from hearing Thy holy word. And if I were in prison, my greatest pain would
be the loss of Thy holy words and of Thy holy sermons.
'And, Good Lord, if Thou wilt in any case, that I cry, I pray Thee, give it me
alone in my chamber, as much as ever Thou wilt, and spare me amongst the
people, if it please Thee.*
Our Merciful Lord Jesus, answering to her mind, said: —
'Daughter, pray not therefor; thou shalt not have thy desire in this, though
My Mother and all the saints in Heaven pray for thee, for I shall make thee
obedient to My wiU, so that thou shalt cry when I will, and where I will, both
loudly and silently; for I tell thee, daughter, thou art Mine and I'am thine, and
90 shalt thou be without end.
'Daughter, thou seo-est how the planets are obedient to My will; that sometimes
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